Hagel to meet Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak in D.C.

JTA

March 3, 2013 | 7:47 am

U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel speaks to service members and civilian employees on his first day in his new post after being sworn in, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Feb. 27. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is scheduled to be the first foreign defense minister to meet with newly confirmed U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

The two men will meet at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed U.S. official.

The meeting will take place following Barak's speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference, which begins Sunday and ends on Tuesday.

The two defense chiefs, who have known each other for more than a decade, will discuss the Iranian threat during their meeting, according to Reuters. It is also expected that they will talk about cuts in U.S. assistance to Israel due to sequestration. It is not known yet exactly how much those cuts will amount to, but the figure could be as high as $300 million and affect the Iron Dome anti-missile system.

Barak will soon leave his position, since he did not run for reelection and other parties who will join the new government will want the position for themselves.

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